Techniques to present location information for social networks using augmented reality

Abstract

Techniques to present location information using augmented reality are described. An apparatus may comprise an augmentation system operative to augment an image with information for an individual, the image having a virtual object representing a real object. The augmentation system may comprise a location component operative to determine location information for the real object, a virtual information component operative to retrieve location information for an individual, and a proximity component operative to determine whether location information for the real object substantially matches location information for the individual. The augmentation system may further comprise an augmentation component operative to augment the virtual object with information for the individual to form an augmented object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving an image having a virtual object representing a real object; 
 determining location information for the real object in the image; 
 retrieving location information for an individual in the image, comprising current location information and previous location information for the individual; 
 determining when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual; 
 augmenting the virtual object with information for the individual from a social networking system to form an augmented object; and 
 rendering an augmented image with the augmented object and a second virtual object, wherein the augmented object is graphically enhanced and the second virtual object is graphically subdued, wherein the augmented image distinguishes between the current location information and the previous location information. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising selecting the augmented object with an input device. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising presenting additional information for the individual when the augmented object is selected. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising presenting contact information for the individual when the augmented object is selected. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising selecting a contact identifier for the individual when contact information for the individual is presented with the augmented object. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising initiating a communications application based on a selected contact identifier for the individual when contact information for the individual is presented with the augmented object. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the determination when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual is based on information from the social networking system. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the location information further comprises future information for the individual. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the future information is determined based on appointment information from a scheduling application. 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the future information is determined based on store preferences for the individual. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the future information is determined based on identifying a vector of movement for the individual based on past activities. 
     
     
       12. An article comprising one of: a storage drive and a memory unit containing instructions that when executed enable a system to:
 receive an image having a virtual object representing a real object; 
 determine location information for the real object in the image; 
 retrieve location information for an individual from a social networking system, the location information comprising previous, current, and future location information for the individual; 
 modify the virtual object with the location information for the individual to form a modified virtual object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual; 
 implement different graphical representations on the modified virtual object for previous, current, and future locations of the individual; and 
 render an augmented image with the modified virtual object, wherein the modified virtual object is graphically enhanced and a second virtual object is graphically subdued, wherein the augmented image distinguishes between the current location information and the previous location information. 
 
     
     
       13. The article of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to modify the virtual object or another virtual object with information for the individual as location information for the individual changes. 
     
     
       14. The article of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to modify the modified virtual object with updated information for the individual as information for the individual changes. 
     
     
       15. The article of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to send a control directive to initiate a communications application based on a selected contact identifier for the individual when contact information for the individual is presented with the modified virtual object. 
     
     
       16. The article of  claim 12  wherein the determination of location information for the real object in the image is based on information from the social networking system. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processing unit; 
 a memory unit coupled to the processing unit and storing instructions for an augmentation system that, when executed by the processing unit, augments an image with information for an individual, the image having a virtual object representing a real object, the augmentation system comprising stored instructions for:
 a location component operative to determine location information for the real object based upon information from a social networking system; 
 a virtual information component operative to retrieve location information for an individual in the image, comprising current location information for the individual; 
 a proximity component operative to determine whether location information for the real object substantially matches location information for the individual; 
 an augmentation component operative to augment the virtual object with information for the individual from the social networking system including the location information to form an augmented object when the location information for the real object substantially matches the location information for the individual; and 
 a rendering component operative to render an augmented image with the augmented object and a second virtual object to display at least one of a previous individual location or a future individual location, wherein the augmented object is graphically enhanced and the second virtual object is graphically subdued, wherein the augmented image distinguishes between the current location information and the at least one of a previous individual location or a future individual location. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising a display communicatively coupled to a digital camera and the augmentation system, the display operative to display an augmented image with the augmented object. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising an input device operative to select the augmented object to display additional information about the individual. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising a communication application operative to communicate with the individual when the augmented object is selected by an input device.